In 1952 we were living at

Fort Benning in Columbus Ga. I was 9 years old and Dad

was the post chaplain responsible for the Protestant

religious program for the soldiers and their families who

lived there.

One day a sergeant asked to

speak to Dad and revealed an interesting story. The

sergeant had sponsored two Japanese boys to the United

States to come over here and become American citizens. So

he said to my father that the one boy, Herbert Takashi

Yammamoura, was a senior in high school in Columbus and

that he had received orders transferring him to Germany.

He did not want Herbert to have to leave his high school

and his friends in his senior year so he was looking for

a family for Herbert to stay with for a year.

My father immediately

replied, "Let me call my wife." He called my

mother and relayed the message that the sergeant was

looking for a place for Herbert and did she mind if he

stayed with us for a year.

She replied, "Bring

him over for supper and I will put him in the room with

Knox." I had never had an older brother and was very

excited to have Herbert stay with us.

The sergeant said to my

father, "He is a good child and will make you a

great house boy." My father immediately replied,

"If Herbert comes to our home, he will come as a

family member not as a houseboy."

I remember when Herbert

walked down our driveway wearing his suit and all he

owned in one suitcase. We were all there to welcome him

and a great friendship began. One year later Herbert

graduated from high school and I remember the tearful

goodbye we all had that summer.

We also were transferred to

Panama Canal Zone and somehow lost track of Herbert. Ten

years later in 1966, Dad finally retired and we settled

in Atlanta.

One day a large box of

fruit showed up on our doorstep in Atlanta.

It consisted of limes,

mangoes and avocados. In the box of fruit was a letter

from Herbert which revealed a fascinating story.

Herbert had graduated from

high school there with us and went down to Dade County,

near Miami, and started picking fruit for a local fruit

company. He worked very hard and finally became the

foreman. Several years later he bought a partnership in

the company and then bought his partner out. Herbert

later bought and sold several businesses and did very

well financially. In fact he became a millionaire several

times over.

He had tried to find our

family but we had moved so much in the military that it

was difficult to locate us, so he decided to call

Washington. He somehow found where Dad's retirement check

was being sent, and located us by sending the box of

fruit with the letter to our doorstep.

He one day shared with me

that he appreciated the sergeant sponsoring him to the

states but it was our family that he remembers that

showed him love and made him part of the family.

When Dee and I married,

Herbert flew up to Atlanta to be at the wedding.

He later flew Dee and me

down to his beautiful home in Florida and he took us out

fishing in his 40-foot boat.

Not everyone you attempt to

help in life will turn out to be a millionaire, but it

will be worth a million dollars and more to you to follow

the teachings of Jesus. These teachings from God's Word

say that whenever you entertain strangers, you entertain

angels unaware.

Press on always to the

higher calling of Christ.

[The Rev.

Dr. Knox Herndon is the pastor of "His House

Community Church" and a substitute school teacher in

the Fayette County school system, and a former Army

chaplain. The church is currently meeting in the American

Legion Log Cabin across from the fountain on the Square

in Fayetteville. Prayer line 770-719-2365; e-mail [email protected]